Lesson 3: Why We Build

Beyond basic shelter, what drives humans to design and erect complex structures?

What kind of environmental and social threats have humans faced that influenced why we build?

How do different architectural designs prioritize one purpose over another?

Construction
Building
Infrastructure
Safety
Stability
Durability
Load-Bearing Capacity
Functionality
Aesthetics
Economic Impact
Sustainable Practices

ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems.

ETS2.B: Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World.

Practice in interpreting technical graphics and synthesizing information from multiple informational texts to support a central claim.

Day 1: The class reviews the "Constructions that Makes You Wonder" slide deck. The teacher introduces the first three purposes: Safety (protection from phenomenon like wind and earthquakes), Load-Bearing (transferring weight to the foundation), and Functionality (optimizing space layouts). Students brainstorm what "heavy and dense things" a building must hold (e.g., occupants, furniture, snow).

Day 2: Exploration of Aesthetic/Cultural Appeal (landmarks like the Eiffel Tower), Economic Impact (infrastructure connecting communities), and Sustainable Practices. In small groups, students categorize iconic structures from the sources—such as the Taipei 101 or the Great Mosque of Djenné—into these categories and justify their choices.


Purpose: To establish that construction is a multifaceted industry that goes beyond "shelter" to address the diverse functional, symbolic, and economic needs of society.


DOK Level: 3 (Strategic Thinking). Students must justify why a structure fits a specific purpose and how those purposes might conflict or overlap.

Real-World: Discussion on how a local shopping mall is built for Economics/Functionality, whereas a highway bridge is primarily focused on Infrastructure/Safety.


Culturally Relevant Connections: Study of structures that serve as National Identity (Statue of Liberty) or Religious Significance (Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat). Discussion of how the Great Mosque of Djenné represents a "Cultural Revival" through indigenous architectural styles.,

Misconception: A building only has one purpose.

Correction: Most serve many; for example, the Empire State Building was built for commercial offices (Economics) but also served as a symbol of hope during the Great Depression (Aesthetic/Cultural).


Misconception: Aesthetics are just "decorations."

Correction: Symbolic and aesthetic value is what distinguishes professional Architecture from mere functional building.,

English Learners: Build a word wall with the six purposes; students can create flashcards with a definition on one side and a drawing of an iconic building on the other.


Advanced Learners: Research how 3D Printed Concrete or Modular Construction addresses the modern purpose of Sustainability.

Formative: Exit ticket: "Identify a local structure and list its primary and secondary purposes."

Summative: Students select one structure from the "Constructions that Makes You Wonder" list and write a 150-word justification for its categorization using at least four unit vocabulary terms.,

Source Slides: "0.2-Constructions that makes you wonder," "0.3-History of Construction," "Copy of Untitled presentation."

Source Texts: "Copy of History of Constructions," "Construction Related Idioms."

Speaker: An architect to discuss how they balance "Functionality" with "Aesthetics" during the design phase.